Ciao, amici! I have to apologize for the links this week. My computer is broken and in the shop for repairs. (I don’t want to talk about it.) Consequently, collecting links and assembling posts has been a challenge. Hopefully, I’ll have it back next week. But they’re saying 7-10 days, so I’m not optimistic.

Anyway, this is week two of Advent, and the theme is faith. This writing quote by E. B. White fits the theme perfectly.

Writing is an act of faith,not a trick of grammar.

You know me… I’m an editor, and I love grammar. But there’s so much more to writing than making sure you use a comma correctly. That’s why I love this quote. It’s a nice reminder that mechanics is only part of the process. Equally important, maybe even more so, is that fire deep inside that inspires your story.

Sorry to hear about your computer, Staci – hope it won’t be too much longer. Turned on my laptop a week ago and it was black. Stayed that way for quite a while, and I was ready to head to the Geek Squad, but then it finally booted up. Took a while for the heart rate to return to normal.

My relief was short-lived. They went from telling me the repair was covered to telling me it would be $1198 plus tax. After a long and tense call to Apple, we’re taking it to a different repair place (like that will make a difference). The woman on the phone is indicating the price will be less but won’t commit to it. That just tells me it’s going to be more time and a similar price. I fully expect to be switching back to the PC platform soon.

I’m glad your computer started working again. That is scary. I’ve been there. The flood of relief is indescribable.

Sorry to hear about your computer. And a week or longer?! Yikes. As a former IT person, I have a habit of having more than one computer around (laptop, desktop, old laptop, older laptop) and I back stuff up to the cloud, but still. I am glad I have a keyboard to use with my iPad, so I could use that if I had to (maybe before resorting to an old laptop). Hope you get your computer back soon! Have a wonderful, fun-filled Christmas, and travel safe!

My old laptop is nothing but a paperweight. No one was able to save the dumb thing. Or any of its predecessors. I switched to the Mac platform after years of issues with PCs. I thought I’d be in the clear, but no virus prevention on the planet can help a broken screen. Ah, well… no one said life was supposed to be easy!

Oh, no, I hope it’s nothing too serious, Staci. Funny how much we’ve come to count on these electronics, isn’t it? My Mac has this thing where I open it and the screen goes black. Gave me a heart attack the first time it happened! I searched the help forums on my phone and thankfully found an easy fix.
Taking them into a technician is like taking your car to a mechanic- lots of sweating until it’s back, lol.
Hope it comes home soon!

Always glad to share good content. I’m getting sick over my computer. It’s kind of hard to make a living as a writer and editor when I don’t have my primary tool! Hopefully it comes back well before the time estimate.

A great reminder about having faith in one’s writing … total and absolute belief in it … without it I feel a book will never be written! Hope you had a lovely second Advent, Staci and that a fully working computer can turn up for your Christmas present! 😀

I think you’re right—a book is almost impossible to finish if you don’t have faith in it. Thanks for the computer Christmas wish. I’m praying it’s sooner than that, though! Wishing you a lovely week two of Advent.